Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-24
WHOLE NUMBER, Ill
LEGISLATURE GONE.
QUITE A UNANIMOUS EXODUS OF MEM
BRRs FROM THR CITY.
Features that Distinguished This Session
Coupon Measures -Exten sion Of Time
for Collection Of Taxes, &C,

tunity 10 sign all tie bills passed.
The Legislature met IN called session
March 10th, and on the 9Th OF April took
recess until the 9th. So they have served
n ore than the fOrty.five days for which the
$3.50 salary was calculqted to paw.
1t has been an energetic. hardworklng,
and faithful Legislature. II they have lett
undOne anything that the people expected
them 10 do Il was because they could not
perform ir0pOssibiities. The session will
| be historic for the conference held with Sir
| Edward Thornton and Mr.. Braithwaite.
| and for the adoption OF the revised Code.
DEBT LEGISLATION.
"Thc ccoupon.crusher, which was framed
| ly some ~ the most illustrious lawyers OF
| the State before the General Assembly met,
was the mot important piece OF coupon
| legislation adopted. IL proceeds upon the
| theory that the United States Supreme
Court has decided that the State may CON-
| pei man using coupons TO prove their
| sonuinencSs, and under IL the State will
| bring such persons into court, where IL
| they fai in sufficient proof they will be
punished in costs.
Another "eoupOn bill" which has be-
come o law makes IL 4 misdemeanor for any
| one 10 use the same coupons twice in pay
|
| the act which, in the opiniOn OF some Demo.
| critic lawyers, will make iteasy OF evasion.
| The same act also provides for the keeping
| Dy The collecting officers OF "a record OF
! couJOns pjrporing TO have been clipped
| IRON bonds OF the state rendered for taxes.
Another bill makes II punishable for col"
| lectinC officers TO receive coupons except
for identification
The bin Of SIR. Pollard allowing per-
| son. who choose TO ray their property taxes
OUarttTN remission of the penalty, &c.,
8aS intended a. q companion measure for
the license. scrip bin. aud when that failed
II was allowed TO 90 to its grave In COM
| Uditce.
Another act makes Il felony for any one
70 induce any other person to Use coupons
twice. &c. There was also a bill passed
providing that a coupOn.brOker. whether
bc does huSiuess by mail or not, shall get
separate license for each county IN which
he operates.
Another eXpedient adopted is the bill TO
allow The Governor, in certain cases, to
suspend trfasurcrs from Office. A number
OF these cflctIs III time past, it Is believed
bv the authorities Of the State, have not
done tier duty faithfully with regard TO
Tie reception or rather nOn.receptiOn OF
coupons. and this act, while 1t does not spe.
officially refer 10 coupon litigation, is un.
Goubtedly intended to strengthen the State
in this respect.
LICENSES, &C.
The hccusc-lax laws remain as formerly.
Those WHO hayc paid.fOr the month OF MAY
can at the proper time pay for the other
eleven months. Those who have paid no.
tliog can pay for the whole twelve months.
llcIc All the retail liquor dealers pay In
money.
The scrip bll was defeated. First as ap-
pncIblc 10 licenses 1t was killed. Then
Mr. FuIkcrScn tried to get il passed as ap'
phcabc 20 all taxes, but the House refused
50 u DO. The fear was always that its exc
culion would be interfcred with by the
Federal courts and that then our people
would have 10 pay the doubled taxes in
money.
The bun Of Mr.. Porter, assessing the
taxes upon the counties and cities, W wis re-
rardod with great favor by many mem-
hers; but independent OF constitutional
objections twas dOubtedif in brief and
hurried session. the necessary changes in
tie state laws could be made to secure the
successful working Of the scheme.
The legislation enacted will probably
save the state from the coupons until De-
cember, when the General Assembly will
meet in regular session, and when, II the
creditors still persist in refusing TO accept
The Riddeberger bill, this measure, or
Mr. FukersOn's scrip bill, or something
Letter, can be adopted.
The LEGISLATURE have empowered the In.
demnity Board to secure counsel 10 assist
them i'm the courts.
There were some other debt measures
passed. but these, and the "crusher" par.
ticularly, are what is relied on.
EXTENSION or TINE FOR THE COLLECTION oP
STATE TAXES.
II will in month or two be announced
hy the enemies OF the Democratic party
that the state Treasury has been "de-
plsted" by the Legislature, and it is well
for the people 10 understand how il will in
measure come about. 1t will be the re-
suit of the Legislature giving the impove.
IisLed people OF the Common wealth longer
time within which 10 pay their taxes.
| That's ALL The Legislature has made some
LARGE appropriations $4,000 for soldiers,
S5S.0O0 for Kendall judgment. s90,0O0 for
printing the Code, &c.-but they were in
e\iiable expenses and had TO be met.
The act Of April 6, 1887, provides that
the several treasurers and collectors OF
taxes due the State be allowed until the
first day OF September, 1887, TO make theIr
iinol settlements with the Auditor OF Public
Accounts OF the State taxes on real and per-
sonal property for the year 1886 provided
that the extension OF time hereby granted
shall not apply TO taxes already collected.
and in the hands Of such treasurers aud
collecting officers, which shall be paid INTO
the Treasury Of the State as provided by
law.
Usually the collecting officers have to
make their settlements by June 10Th. Now
they have until September lsi-an extension
amounting TO two and half months. Du-
ring that time only license-taXes will be
coming into the Treasury, while expenses
will be going on all the same.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION 1885.
Some OF the legislative gentlemen who
were most ardent in advocacy OF the con-
stitutioual amendment to bar all obligations
of the State not funded into Riddleberger
bonds new 3's) within a limited time de-
clare their purpose to push the question
before the State Democratic Convention TO
be held this summer. by others, however,
it is argued that nothing the General As
sembly can now do viii facilitate constltu-